Serving on a not-for-profit board is a great way to give back to a cause you care about. But it can also be highly beneficial to your professional development and personal growth. Here are 5 reasons you should join a board:

YWCA Aotearoa new zealand board

1. Grow your network

We all know that networking is a great way to advance our careers. Being on a board is a great opportunity to meet like minded people and increase your network of contacts.

It is also an opportunity to connect and collaborate with people in a meaningful way. You never know how these relationships will provide value and opportunities later down the track.

2. Sharpen your professional skills

Being on a board will enable you to strengthen a variety of professional skills, which is great for for career development.

You will also hone your leadership skills and ability to contribute to an organization’s strategic direction, such as improving its financial position, brand development, recruitment and much more.

Kimberley kilgour (Centre), YWCA AOTEAROA NZ CO-PRESIDENT

“Being on a Board has built my understanding of how organisations operate from the governance level down.

At 26 years old, I have formed a perspective typically gained by people in the executive level of their careers”.

- Kimberly Kilgour

3. Strengthen your credibility

Being selected for a board position shows that an organization has entrusting you with a high-impact role. This endorsement speaks volumes, and can be leveraged to raise your professional profile and strengthen your candidacy for a promotion or new position.

4. We need more women on boards

Women currently occupy a meagre 18% of board positions in New Zealand. Do something about our poor statistics it and get your butt onto a board seat! (Read more in this article featuring our super awesome chair Co-President and equal pay advocate Susan Doughty, here).

Women currently occupy a meagre 18% of board positions in New Zealand. Having a diverse representation on a board isn't just the right thing, it's the smart thing. Gender diversity is proven to be better for business (and yes, not-for-profits too because today they have to run like businesses). Boards with more gender diversity are proven to be more innovative, more strategically minded, and generally more effective.

5. Be a part of the movement!

In my humble opinion, the most important reason to join a board is to be part of something bigger than yourself and do good s**t. Whether it's an organisation working for female empowerment and gender equality (ahem, us), environmental policy change, youth development or whatever you're into - get involved with what you're passionate about and be an agent for change.

Being on a Board means you set the future direction of an organisation which in turn, has the potential to impact many more lives than you could possibly reach on your own.

Want to get involved?

YWCAs around New Zealand are often on the look out for board members, so get in touch!